


Two of a Kind, a Pair of Hearts

by JustAndrea



Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018)
Genre: Angst, Depression, Disappearance, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Romance, Self depreciation, Villains being Villains, references to several episodes, spoilers for s2 episodes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:14:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21933541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAndrea/pseuds/JustAndrea
Summary: Just two unlikely roommates, a few of the trials and tribulations found throughout their new lives, and the moments of love formed between them.
Relationships: Hypno-Potamus/Warren Stone, Warren Stone/Hypno-potamus
Comments: 11
Kudos: 42





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, yeahhhhhh this fic has been a LONG time coming, lol. Based off a super long headcanon Hippoworm headcanon list I posted on Tumblr several months ago, I had this Warren and Hypno scene in mind that I wanted to actually write out and expand on, aaaand then as I was writing this I ended up expanding it to be a sort of reflection on their relationship as a whole and what it might have been like through the last third of Season 1. ...Also I just really like writing Hippoworm fluff. Anyway, enjoy!

If there was one thing Hypno could call his roommate, it was determined.

No matter the situation - whether he was half squished and barely able to crawl along, or in the middle of his painful regeneration process, or even when his mood was at its lowest points - Warren was always able to dig down deep to reach that spark of determination, to push himself to keep going.

...Though, to be fair, when those moronic turtle teens were involved, perhaps it was more ‘spite’ than ‘pure determination’, but even so! It was one of the things Hypno admired most about him, just how much he would fight and follow that spark despite being mutated into a situation that most would deem hopeless.

Which was why, when it looked like that spark had finally been snuffed out, Hypno had grown even more concerned than he normally would have been - which was already quite a bit, considering how much he had grown to care for the little worm-man. His roommate, his best friend, his partner… in crime. 

...Okay fine, another definition for partner might have been appropriate for the two of them, if Hypno was lucky enough… But the hippo-magician pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind, unable to pursue them. 

Not while his companion was currently lying on the couch, expression utterly blank and extremely tired, as he watched his former co-workers deliver the evening news.

“...I put extra sugar in it,” Hypno told him as he set down the tea cup and the bottle of painkillers. 

Warren grunted as he nodded slightly, his slightly unkempt hair bouncing a bit with the motion. Hypno winced slightly at the sight of it, knowing fully well how much his roomie prided himself on his hair. Perhaps he’d offer to comb it for him later. Warren really seemed to like that last time, when Hypno had offered to wash and brush his hair on another particularly bad night. In return, Warren had somehow managed to get a basket of Hypno’s favorite fruits (a treat he’d been craving ever since his mutation) and surprise him with it. 

The grunts and whines of his wormy buddy as he started to move pulled Hypno out of his thoughts. He offered to pick him up, but Warren stopped him, choosing to hop onto the coffee table himself. Twisting his body around the bottom half of the pill bottle, he also managed to open the painkillers despite only having one good arm. 

Warren popped two pills into his mouth, then turned to the straw that Hypno had provided for him. He took a long sip of his tea, swallowing the pills before taking another sip. Hypno smiled a bit, relieved at how his roommate’s body seemed to relax a little. He knew Warren was more of a latte man than a tea drinker, but at least he didn’t dislike the drink. 

After finishing a little more than half the cup, Warren hopped back onto their worn loveseat that they had stolen from some secondhand store. He moved over to the other side of the couch, curling up on the throw pillow without a single word. 

“...” Hypno sighed quietly, slumping in his seat. He wanted to say something, _anything,_ but instead he simply turned up the volume on the tv. He couldn’t even bring himself to smirk whenever the Wheel of Fortune contestants landed on Bankrupt or took a completely idiotic guess at the correct missing letter. 

He wasn’t sure how long the two of them stayed like that, watching tv in the silence of their new apartment - this one on the bottom level instead of a few floors up. A bit disappointing, not having a decent view, but at least there was an AC unit and there were no giant holes in their walls - but once he heard Warren snoring, Hypno covered him with a makeshift handkerchief blanket before turning off the tv and heading to his room. 

Three days… It had been three days since Draxum had finally found them… Three days since both of them were nearly killed, and three days since Warren lost his mystic gauntlet - his ‘Charlotte’, not to mention his arm. 

Hypno had been so SO happy to have his friend back in (mostly) one piece, that all the trauma and loss and near-loss from that night had just been swept away, and any lingering feelings could be brushed aside with a little tv watching. But, obviously, that hadn’t been the case. Not for Warren, at least.

The hippo-magician sighed, turning over in his bed. Still feeling upset and hurt was one thing, but Warren wasn’t even _talking_ to him. Maybe- “...Maybe it’s me,” Hypno whispered to himself, gripping the covers tightly. “Oh, that… that would make sense now, wouldn’t it…” He might have done it to save his life, but Hypno still betrayed him - still was part of what caused his worm buddy to lose the gauntlet he cared about so much. 

“Can’t exactly blame him if he’s cross with me after I did something like that…” And if that really was the case, then maybe all Warren needed was a little space…

Daylight came far too quickly, but Hypno still forced himself up and out of bed. Running a brush through his short hair and then wrapping his turban around it, he then went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face. By the time he had finished shaving the stray hairs around his trim mustache and beard, he had heard the tv come back on. Warren was up then, good.

“Good morning,” Hypno quietly greeted, giving the worm a small smile.

Warren glanced over at him, nodded as he mumbled a ‘yeah’, then went back to lazily watching the morning news. Hypno held back a sigh, and went back to his room. There, he quickly got dressed, grabbing everything he would need for a day out, before heading back out to the living room. 

“I’m running a few errands today,” Hypno announced. Warren nodded again, this time not even looking at him. Hypno’s chest tightened a bit. Right… Warren was definitely angry at him, but hopefully by the time Hypno returned, he would be willing to talk a bit about how he was feeling. At the very least, Hypno hoped he wouldn’t come home to find all his stuff on the sidewalk. Though, if that was what Warren really wanted…

He shook his head, forcing a smile. “Ah, well- I’ll be off then!” With that, Hypno headed to the door and officially began his day.

It had been hard at first, trying to have an actual _life_ once he was mutated and not just spend his hours stuck inside. Thankfully, Ron had been in New York long enough to know how to avoid the more popular parts of the city - and even when he was surrounded by people, he was usually able to pass without too much suspicion by simply not moving his mouth as much as he talked and keeping his expression as plain as possible.

(Personally, he didn’t think he looked too much like a hippo mascot suit but hey, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth and all that.)

Another bonus to his mutation had been that he had been able to pick up on the more hidden parts of the city, thanks to a new sort of ‘sixth sense’ for mystic stuff now that he was working with REAL magic. Between his senses and Warren’s ‘anonymous sources’, the two of them had been able to find plenty of mutant-friendly shops and restaurants for them to go to when they didn’t feel like donning disguises. 

So, despite the worry still in the back of his mind, Hypno had plenty to do to keep himself busy. First, he ate breakfast and had morning tea at a small underground cafe that was ran by a fur-covered woman with three eyes and an extra arm for a tail. ...It was sort of strange to think that something like _that_ had started to become commonplace for him.

After breakfast, he did some window shopping, where he was reminded just how broke he was, unfortunately. Of course, the hippo-magician had no qualms with stealing nowadays, but he just wasn’t in the mood for it today. So, Hypno just kept walking up and down the fairly-calm side streets of New York, killing time until lunch. While neither of them were the biggest pizza eaters, Run of the Mill had become a favorite spot for him and Warren. Decent prices, good food and - as long as certain reptile teens weren’t there - a nice atmosphere. 

So, Hypno got himself the afternoon special, forcing himself to eat it as slowly as possible. While there, he also tried to network with the other yokai. It had been a while since his last show, and with how little the current customers in the pizzeria seemed to care about his magic and rock-bottom gig prices, it would be a while longer. Feeling the beginnings of a headache, Hypno took himself to the park after that. 

He wasn’t one hundred percent certain of the hippos’ place in the animal kingdom - he had only ever known Doug, who had grown up in captivity, so Ron had no idea how ferocious or calm hippos might have been in the wild - but squirrels and pigeons didn’t seem to mind him. They seemed pretty entertained by his magic as well, watching him curiously as he practiced simple tricks while sitting on a bench. 

He even managed to try out some new tricks, using the acorns and feathers he could find on the ground. A simple multiplication spell - the squirrels definitely liked that - and a transformation spell, turning one of the acorns into a small white feather. Hypno smiled to himself… Maybe life was harder in some ways, but it was hard to be completely angry at this whole situation when he had _literal_ **_magic_ ** at his fingertips. Of course, not all mutants were that lucky…

Hypno continued to practice magic and enjoy the fresh air and quiet of the park, even earning a few tips from passers by, before deciding to start heading home at sundown. Again, he found himself taking it slow, even stopping for a hotdog along the way. Whether it was to give his roommate a bit more time to himself or because he was nervous of what he would find when he DID finally return home, Hypno honestly wasn’t sure…

...However, it quickly became the latter soon enough. His stuff wasn’t on the sidewalk, thank goodness, but the apartment was dark. Not even the tv was on. Moving quickly now, Hypno went up to the door and unlocked it, and as he flicked on a light, he could see the slight damage done to their home.

The remote had been hurled through the screen of their humble tv while the floor near the kitchenette was covered in half a dozen broken plates and cups. Papers and photos had been crumbled and thrown about without care, and to top it all off, Warren’s golden bust - his pride and joy - had been knocked off its spot on the dresser. It wasn’t broken, but its face had been clearly scuffed, like something - or someone - scratching and scraping at it.

Hypno’s mouth refused to work as he stared at it all, his mind trying to figure out just what had happened. But eventually, he was able to say one thing. “W-Warren?” he called out. No answer. “Warren!” he yelled again, clenching his fists.

 _“Ron…?”_ he heard someone faintly answer. Hypno’s heart skipped a beat. Warren hardly ever called him by his real name. The last time he did, it was when he was taking up Hypno’s offer to move in with him.

Hypno barreled into his bedroom, and turned on the light. His eyes immediately met Warren’s - they were bloodshot, and still full of tears. His blond hair was even messier now, barely keeping its shape with strands of it hanging down near his face, like he had been pulling at it. The worm winced a bit, his one arm hugging his midsection tightly like it were a lifeline while his half-grown arm hung limply at his side. 

“Warren…” Hypno whispered, his eyes filled with concern. (Not pity, Warren gratefully noted, though it didn’t do much to make him feel better.) “What… What happened?”

The worm sneered. “W-What do you mean ‘what happened’?!” he tried to snap, though it came out more as a sob, “You LEFT!”

“I just went out to run a few errands, I…” _I thought you had needed space. I thought you didn’t want to be around me - or want me to be around you…_

“Y-You… You were gone all _day_ and I…” Warren gritted his teeth, trying his damndest to wipe away his tears, but his hand just couldn’t keep up. Before he could continue, he felt two big, gentle hands pick him up and hold him close. He could feel Hypno’s warmth, his breathing, his slightly up-temp heartbeat - Hypno was worried about him. He hadn’t abandoned him, hadn’t _forgotten-!_

“I thought you needed some space,” Hypno explained, his finger gently petting his roommate’s back as he continued to carefully hug him, “I thought- Y-You were just so upset, and you wouldn’t talk to me and I just… thought you were angry with me, that you just needed some space after… after the whole incident with your gauntlet. I-I’m sorry, Warren. I’m so, so sorry…”

Warren continued to sniffle, pushing back his sobs. He silently scolded himself, told himself that he was being pathetic and that if he didn’t stop crying like an idiot, then his best friend - his ONLY friend really would leave him, but the tears just kept coming. 

“I-I… I’m not angry at you, Ron…” He knew Hypno had been just as hurt from the whole incident as he was. Both of them had been tricked and manipulated by Draxum, and in the end, Hypno had still been willing to do all he could to save him, even at the risk of his own life. If it weren’t for the crying, Warren might have laughed - how could he possibly be angry at someone as sweet and caring as Hypno?

“Warren,” he heard Hypno gently say, “Please… _Please_ talk to me…”

The worm-man winced, gripping Hypno’s shirt tightly as his tears soaked through it. “I-I, I’m not angry at you, I… I’m angry at MYSELF!”

“But why? What-?”

“I had a powerful, mystical SUPER weapon on my arm, a-and I barely did anything with it!” he spat, squeezing his eyes shut, “I, I couldn’t use it to destroy that Draxum freak or the turtles o-or, or protect you or even save myself! I’m _PATHETIC!_ A total LOSER!”

“You’re not,” Hypno insisted, blinking away his own tears, “You’re not, Warren, and you never will be.”

“I _am_ …” It felt like he was barely breathing now, but after choking out a couple sobs, he forced himself to go on. “I- I had my own ancient weapon - something that would make people remember me, something I could rule with and - and I barely did anything with it! Now it’s gone and I’ll never even get the chance! No one will remember me now, no one will care-!” 

He could pretend all he wanted but deep down he knew the truth. “I’m no threat without it... I’m just a small, insignificant, worm _nobody_ that as far as everyone else is concerned doesn’t even EXIST! I was one of the biggest names in this lousy city, and now- now I’m nothing!” He sobbed again, burying his face in his roommate’s massive chest. “Everyone’s forgotten me… And, if they haven’t, they will soon enough… _You_ will, soon enough... I mean, e-everyone else has so…”

Hypno’s eyes widened. “I won’t,” he said immediately, his tone so determined and so loyal that it nearly made Warren break all over again. He hugged his wormy-roommate even closer, gently shushing him as he continued to cry. “I won’t ever forget you, Warren… And I won’t ever abandon you either. I-” 

He winced, his mind briefly flashing back to the night he first mutated - the night he lost Doug. “Please, I _can’t_ lose anyone else… Warren, I love you, and you are much more than whatever mystic weapon you’ve got stuck on your arm! I love you because you’re YOU! I wanted YOU to be my roommate - to be my _friend_ \- not the gauntlet! And that hasn’t changed at all! I promised it hasn’t. And I- God, Warren, I am _so_ sorry for scaring you…”

Warren sniffled, still gripping Hypno’s shirt. He still felt lower than dirt, still felt angry and ashamed of himself for being so weak… But despite it all, he managed to believe Ron’s words. “I’m here, Warren… and I’m not abandoning you… I won’t EVER forget you… Not now, not ever… I’m here as long as you’ll have me.”

They stayed like that for a long time, and each time Warren’s sobs would start up again, Hypno would simply shush him. He’d gently pet him and tell him that it’d all be alright and apologize and say that he loved him over and over - as many times as it took. 

A couple times, Warren managed to say it back, his voice cracked and dry but the words themselves coming out as easily as they did back at the docks. “I-I, I love you too,” he whispered, “I-I really do love you too…”

“I know…” Hypno nodded. He lifted Warren up a bit towards him, and gave him a soft kiss on the head. “I know…”

Eventually, Hypno had laid down on the bed, and the two had fallen asleep. It was only thanks to the sun shining through the window and onto their faces that they managed to wake up the next morning. Warren groaned, grimacing at how dry and gross his face felt. “Ugh…”

“Feeling better?” he heard Hypno quietly ask.

Warren hesitated before admitting, “A little… I still feel pretty pathetic though.” Not too mention embarrassed…

Hypno tsk’d at him. “Ah-ah, no more of that kind of talk, and no more of calling yourself pathetic,” he lightly scolded, giving him a stern look, “Don’t make me write it on the fridge and make it one of our house rules.” Warren actually managed to crack a smile at that.

It took him a bit to get going, but Warren did manage to crawl over to the bathroom while Hypno took up the task of making them breakfast and hot morning drinks. The worm-man sighed as he stood in the bathroom sink, letting the hot water run over him.

He spent no less than eight minutes washing his hair, deciding to grant himself some extra pampering, before moving onto the rest of his body. He also stretched his still-reforming arm a bit. By this point the pain had dulled, making it feel more like a numb, semi-constant ache as it finished growing. It was still a little ‘baby-like’, but at least he was starting to get some strength back into it.

By the time the clock had struck 9AM, Warren had dried himself off, blow dried his hair, and put on a clean dark-blue jacket. Moving into the living room and kitchenette space, he could hear the bubbling of the coffee machine and smell both the caffeine and the maple and cinnamon-infused French toast that seemed to be Hypno’s speciality.

Speaking of the hippo-magician, he had taken the time to sweep all the broken plates and cups, making the floor safe for Warren to crawl across. There were still other things left to pick up (and fix, he noted, wincing at the busted tv), a sour reminder of the previous day. 

However, when he noticed his roommate giving him a soft and welcoming smile as he plated everything up, Warren managed to push through these feelings and take a seat at their tiny kitchen table.

His problems weren’t fixed by any means. He was still stuck in a tiny worm man body, still forgotten by most of his audience and associates (most of the _world_ if he was still being cruelly honest with himself), still forced into this new life with memories of what he lost almost constantly hanging over him.

But even after all that, he wasn’t alone - not yet, and hopefully not ever. He had someone who understood on some level, someone who cared, someone who wouldn’t forget him…

And as Warren sat across from his roommate, the two of them able to relax in comfortable silence as they shared a meal and began their day together, he decided that maybe things really would be okay.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Warren huffed. It felt like he had been staring at the wall of weapons and mystic enhancements for ages now, but the shop didn’t seem to have anything that would give him the same feeling of power as Charlotte did. The only one that really peaked his interest was a mace that was, naturally, far too heavy for him to lift, even with its promise of flight and electrified kinetic energy with each rotation of its spiky ball.

(Not to mention, 90% of the shop’s wares were _wayyyy_ out of their price range, and according to Hypno the place was also covered in enchanted security measurements, so stealing was out of the question.)

“I really do think the ring would work well enough,” Hypno told him, “At least until we can find something else for you.”

Warren took a third look at the ring with the black opal center that promised its wearer the ability to be one with the shadows but shook his head. “Useful, but not nearly powerful enough. If we’re going to buy something, it needs to be worth our while.” Besides, there was only one type of ring he was mildly interested in wearing…

Clearing his throat slightly, Warren turned back to the horned shopkeeper, who was still lazily chewing on granola bar. “And you’re _sure_ you don’t have anymore of those strength-enhancing gemstones?” He asked, giving him a look that he hoped was intimidating, “Not even in the back?”

“Sorry, mister,” Clem replied, “Those gems are mighty rare, and you bought - an’ broke - my last one. I reckon I won’t get another few in for, gosh, at least a century.”

Warren sighed. “Great…” He felt a familiar gloved hand gently pat his back, and Warren leaned into the touch.

“Perhaps we should try a human’s weapon shop instead,” Hypno suggested as he picked his roommate/best friend/boyfriend (he was pretty sure that last bit was never going to stop making him smile) up, “Couldn’t hurt, right?”

Warren managed to smile up at him. “I appreciate the help, Hypno, I really do but newsflash: I’m pretty sure the recoil on a gun would send me through a wall before I could even get the chance to shoot someone like Draxum.” A pocket knife might have been a little more size-appropriate, though with his luck he’d probably be the only one being cut by it.

“Oh no, a pistol or revolver is definitely out of the question,” Hypno agreed before grinning at him, “But, perhaps a taser could still be a good fit?”

The worm’s eyes widened a bit. “...I could work with a taser,” he said after a moment as he smirked back at his boyfriend.

Two days later, Warren was the proud owner of a brand new, fairly powerful taser that he naturally named ‘Charlotte II’.

Things were well and good for a week or so… until Noah Sheck returned to NYC, having just finished up his fifty-state magical tour and was already showing off brand new amazing tricks to his home audience.

“That little punk just walks around, thinking he’s all that!” Hypno huffed as he paced back and forth, stomping across their apartment, “And then he has the GAUL to say that magicians that use animals in their acts are ‘lame’? Honestly, where’s the respect for the classics?! For the skill?! That Sheck thinks that just because he can pull off a few wide-scale illusions, that makes him the next Houdini! I swear, I have more magical ability in my little finger than he does in his whole bloody body!”

Warren just sat back on their couch, and listened to Hypno’s rant, not once interrupting or even losing interest. And, when Hypno had finally tired himself out and said all he needed to say, Warren simply gave him a wicked grin. “If that’s how you feel… then perhaps the two of us should go show this edgy-wannabee twirp what REAL magic can do~”

Hypno grinned back at him, already summoning his razor rings. “Perhaps we shall~”

It had been a brilliant plan, really. Hack into the Madison Square Garden television screens at Sheck’s next show and reveal the secrets behind all his tricks, completely ruining him before forcing the so-called magician into an escape trip grand finale, just to truly give the audience members that stuck around their money’s worth! And if the kid illusionist couldn’t escape in time? Well, then he shouldn’t have tried to outclass a REAL magician!

Of course, the best laid plans of worms and hippo-men often go awry. Somehow, those stinking turtles had caught wind of their scheme, and ambushed them while Warren was still mid-hack. The fight had been close, but in the end they were defeated - and to make matters worse, according to that evening’s news, Sheck was now considered one of the greatest stage magicians of all time.

Hypno gave a snort, sighing as he listened to Carly Balmaceda’s report. He only looked away when he heard the squeaks of their tv tray on wheels, the tea on it sloshing about but never once spilling as Warren pushed it along. Once reaching the living room, he launched himself up onto the couch, and patted his hippo-beau’s arm sympathetically. 

“This kid’s just a flash in the pan,” Warren assured him, “Believe me, I _know_ my one-and-done, fifteen seconds of fame, fluff-piece stories. By this time next year, Noah Sheck will be old news.”

Hypno smiled a little as Warren then kissed his hand. He wasn’t sure how true his boyfriend’s words were, especially with Sheck slowly but surely gaining worldwide fame status, but they still were nice to hear…

A few weeks later, they had decided to have a date night at Run of the Mill when Warren had found a particularly eye-catching flier for a demolition derby. 

“‘Prove you’re a champion!’,” Warren read, getting more and more excited with each word, “‘Enter the Death Tube! No guts, no glory’! This is perfect! Finally, a chance to regain some notoriety in the mutant world! Not to mention a chance to CRUSH my competition!”

“It does seem like plenty of fun,” Hypno admitted, “Perhaps I’ll enter as well.”

Warren paused, giving him a bit of a look. “...You do know that would mean competing against each other, right?”

His boyfriend shrugged. “Nothing wrong with a bit of friendly competition to spice up date night, wouldn’t you agree?”

“...I guess not,” Warren smirked back at him. If it came down to the two of them, he’d still try to claim the Grand Prize of course, and he was sure Hypno knew that as well. But it was like he said, nothing wrong with a bit of friendly competition. While he’d still mostly take it easy on his roomie while in the Death Tube, everyone else would be granted _no mercy!_

The two had worked on each other’s cars together, helping each other out while still giving each other plenty of space to add secret weapons or even just their own personalized decor. When Friday night came around, they were more than ready to take on their former Evil League teammates. However, when those turtles and that rat guy showed up, suddenly the simple idea of revenge became much more appealing than any trophy or champion status. 

Unfortunately, the troublesome terrapin teens escaped unscathed yet again while their cars were completely destroyed, nothing but flaming piles of scrap metal. Still, they decided as they began the long walk home, it could’ve been worse.

Even after the adrenaline from the derby had left them, making them feel tired and drained, they managed to get through their usual post-battle routine. Warren rubbed soothing cream on Hypno’s burns and aching bruises, and Hypno gently massaged Warren’s scalp and shoulders as he worked through the early, painful stages of his regeneration. They drank tea and Warren munched on his own personal supply of fried food (because he deserved to take a cheat day, damn it) while Hypno chowed down on his favorite fruits. They lazily watched tv, talking during commercials and laughing at this week’s morons currently on The Price is Right as they continuously guessed way over the actual price of the items, before eventually falling asleep in each other’s arms. 

Life wasn’t always easy as a mutant, and their losses - both recent and long term - would always be in the back of their minds. Warren had lost his body and career, Hypno had lost his former assistant and best friend, and both of them had lost their audiences and fans. But in the end, they had both also gained something - some _one_ completely unexpected, someone that they now couldn’t really imagine living without.

And as they sat in the warm light of their small television set, the two of them soaking in each other’s presence and warmth as they peacefully slept in the humble home they had ended up making together, it was easy to feel like that really was enough to keep them happy through whatever their new mutant and turtle-filled life together threw at them next.

(...though, to be fair, a blood red sky and reports of an evil armored demon was… surprising, to say the least.)

**THE END**


	2. Bonus Chapter: Missed Call

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Literally no one:
> 
> Me (and probably the three other Warren stans in this fandom): Okay but what about Warren Stone?
> 
> Anyway have some angsty Hippoworm, lol. Spoilers for 'The Clothes Don't Make the Turtle' and 'Battle Nexus: New York'

It was safe to say that, after a few months of being roommates/besties/eventual boyfriends, Warren and Hypno had finally slipped out of the honeymoon phase and had settled into something more mundane and comfortable.

They’d come apart whenever one of them wanted to focus on a hobby or their own personal scheme or even just some alone time, and then they’d come back together later on to just talk or cuddle or make fun of dumb gameshow contestants together. Even when they were temporarily working against each other in a bout of friendly competition, like the disastrous experience they had at the demolition derby, they’d always drift back towards each other’s embrace.

They shared meals, worked together on future evil schemes, and even performed together - razor rings or no, Warren couldn’t deny that he loved being in the spotlight again, even if it was only as a magician’s assistant. 

(The way Hypno would call him his ‘handsome and charming assistant’ and how he’d give Warren a calming and reassuring look whenever he was a bit nervous about a particular trick just made it all the better.)

But as well as they worked together, they each still had their own personal goals - their own moments when they wanted to be a solo villain. 

As it turns out, Hypno had wanted these apparently incredibly powerful magician’s journals, and whether it was to prove he was truly a master magician deserving of them or because he simply wanted to do something on his own, the hippo-man had decided to go after them alone.

Naturally, Warren understood this and wished his boyfriend the best of luck, hoping that if Hypno ran into any of those loser turtles while he was out and managed to capture them, he’d think of Warren enough to bring them back to their apartment so they could destroy them together.

Hours passed, and eventually Warren drifted off to sleep, the evening news still droning on in the background. ...When he awoke, he was still the only one in their apartment.

There were no missed calls from Hypno, and no missed texts either. Warren did both - his first calling attempt going directly to voicemail, and the text being labeled as ‘unable to send’ despite him trying to do so several times. 

Ignoring the worry in his wormy gut, Warren forced himself to finish his morning coffee before hopping into the toy car he had stolen and modified himself several weeks prior. It wasn’t nearly as threatening as his former suped-up news van, and it still felt slightly demeaning to drive, but it was fast and it would get Warren to where he needed to go, so he would deal with it.

When he arrived at the Magic Town House, everything seemed normal. No significant damage to the building, no police tape, nothing... While he was relieved that there wasn’t any sign of his hippo roomie being seriously hurt, Warren was also frustrated, his nerves resting just below the line of panic.

He ended up spending the rest of the day putting his investigative journalism skills to the test, trying to find any sign or clue that he could. Unfortunately, he had no leads, no witnesses to interview, and only a smashed boombox and the magic-infused cassette tape Hypno had proudly showed off to him a mere 48 hours ago to go off of.

It was sundown by the time Warren returned to his- no, _their_ apartment. It was still empty, and there were still no missed calls or texts waiting for him.

“Where are you?” Warren muttered, clenching his tiny fists. A part of him wanted to be angry at Hypno for making him worry like this, and another part wondered if perhaps ‘going missing’ was part of his plan too...

 _Don’t be stupid!_ He hissed at himself, unwilling to let all the comforting and supportive and loving words Hypno had given him after losing Charlotte - words he wouldn’t hesitate to repeat whenever Warren was feeling down, and words that Warren would happily say to him in return - fall on deaf ears.

Hypno hadn’t been angry or even annoyed at him before leaving that night, the two even sharing a quick kiss as he was heading towards the door, and Warren was fairly sure the hippo wasn’t bored with him either. Whatever had happened to his roommate/bestie/boyfriend, it hadn’t been Hypno’s fault...

Of course, that only left one option.

“Those- those menaces! Stupid, stinkin’ turtles!” he yelled, a new wave of anger now washing over him. They probably kidnapped Hypno for some prank, or that stupid blue one threw him in a portal and sent him miles away, or maybe they sent him into the magic dimension again.

(Hypno had told him about that one night, when he couldn’t sleep - one moment he had been on the edge of completing one of his greatest tricks ever, and the next he’d had his magical hats turned against him by a cute beastie in a cheerleading outfit. It had taken several hours for Hypno to find his barrings enough to figure out how to transport himself back to the physical plane, and according to him, the magic dimension was NOT a place that you wanted to spend too much time in. Far too vast, far too empty...)

Whatever they had done to his honey-hippo, Warren sure as hell wasn’t going to let them get away with it! “Reptile brats! Terrapin terrors!” Warren mumbled to himself as he paced the hardwood floor.

Unfortunately, as much as he wanted to grab his taser and go after the turtle teens, he had no idea where they were, much less what he could do to restrain them long enough to properly threaten them. He had no plan, and a long enough history with his enemies to know that even a halfway decent plan could still lead to him getting cut in half more often than not.

Besides, it had still only been one day since his boyfriend’s disappearance, and as unlikely as it was seeming by the second, Warren was still hoping that Hypno would eventually just walk through the door, apologetic and sheepish about being gone for so long without letting him know.

Warren sighed, running a hand through his hair. “A worm man can hope,” he mumbled. Putting a tiny hand to the screen of his phone, he opened up his texts. It was pointless - all it was doing was allowing him to procrastinate a few extra seconds before crawling into their empty bed. And yet, Warren’s hand continued to move slowly and carefully across the screen:

**_“I don’t know where you are, but I hope you’re alright... and I promise that if you need me to, I’ll find you... I love you, Ron.”_ **

Warren sent the text, and tried to force his heart not to ache when he received the ‘unable to send’ message as a reply.

Even if it was mostly restless, Warren forced himself to sleep until at least dawn, and once he was up he began working on a simple yet effective plan: Attract the Turtles attention, capture them, and then threaten them until they told him where Hypno was.

...On the day he felt comfortable and prepared enough with his plan to try and attempt it that night, the sun was engulfed in shadow and the sky turned red, just as it had a couple months ago on the night that armored demon attacked the city (one of the few times Warren was grateful that he wasn’t still a news anchor, if only because a situation like that would have left even a news veteran like him cowering under his desk).

He noticed the shadowy limbs grabbing citizens too late, and before Warren could attempt to escape or even try to grab Charlotte II to defend himself with, a dark hand slipped under the crack of the apartment’s door and easily snatched him up.

For a moment, he blacked out - whether out of fear or shock or pain, Warren wasn’t completely sure.

And in the next, it was like it had all been a simple nightmare.

The sun hadn’t gone dark, it was as bright as ever! A cool summer breeze blew through his poofy hair. He was stretched out on a beach chair - it was even his size! - surrounded by humans and yokai that seemed to be just as relaxed as he was.

As Warren laid there, lazily soaking up the rays and occasionally taking sips from some absoLUTELY delicious lemonade, he honestly couldn’t remember why he had been so panicked just now. He couldn’t remember how he had gotten onto a luxurious cruise boat either, but frankly he didn’t care. After everything he had been through, he certainly deserved a vacation.

...Still, the worm man occasionally felt a bit of an ache in his chest as he lounged, unable to stop feeling like something - or someone - was missing...

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

As guilty and angry at himself as he was, Hypno tried to convince himself that it wasn’t totally his fault. Everything had become an overly synth-filled blur once those turtles turned his trance-inducing montage tape against him. (He really did have to look into some sort of fail safe for whenever he fell victim to his own otherwise very useful powers.)

But even after coming out of it, Hypno had found himself in a state halfway between dazed and unconscious, surrounded by darkness until the moment where he was suddenly transported back to New York. ...Where he was now not only wide awake, but chained to a table. Forced to play a game he was completely clueless on and win against an apparent genius game-master or risk having his soul put into a game piece forever, alongside one of his enemies. 

Certainly not every day you get thrust into a situation like that.

Thankfully, luck had been on his side, and both Hypno and Donnie had managed to make it out of their Battle Nexus battle alive. Not that he cared much about the softshell’s well-being, even if he did find the reunion between him and his younger brothers rather sweet. 

Still, at the end of the day, they were still technically enemies, and with Big Mama preparing another challenge for them, Hypno figured that no one could really blame him or his other former Evil League of Mutants members for running off when they had the chance.

“So,” he heard Meatsweats say, once the three of them had gotten far enough from the Grand Nexus Hotel that their sprinting had turned a slow walk, giving them a chance to truly take in how abandoned the city was, “What exactly do we do now?”

“I’m not going back to that lady, that’s for sure,” the crab man - Hypno was pretty sure his name was Carl - “and from the looks of it, this whole city looks like it’s pretty doomed. Like, something you’d see in a disaster movie or something. I don’t know what you guys wanna do, but I’m gonna go find my brother and get us both outta-”

Hypno suddenly gasped, remembering that Carl wasn’t the only one in their group that had someone to look for. “Oh my god! Warren!”

“Who?” Carl and Meatsweats asked in unison.

Hypno sharply glared at them both. “Warren! Warren Stone, my boyfriend? The worm man?”

“Sorry, mate,” Meatsweats shrugged, “Not really ringing a bell.”

Carl looked just as clueless, though was a bit hung up on the ‘boyfriend’ part. “I thought you were with that mantis guy?”

“Wh- _Why would I be dating him?!_ ” Hypno asked incredulously. 

“I don’t know! I just thought I saw you sitting by him once, don’t yell at me!” Carl snapped back at him. 

“Ugh.” Not caring enough to continue the conversation, Hypno began running once more, leaving the pig and crab man behind. On the way to their apartment, Hypno took out his phone, desperately trying to turn it on. Whether it was because the battery was dead or because it had been corrupted by the shadowy place, he wasn’t sure, but it made the pit in his stomach grow even deeper.

“I can’t believe it I just forgot about him like that,” he muttered, gritting his teeth as he scolded himself. He didn’t care if it was only for a moment, he didn’t care about the stressful circumstances he had been in - he had still forgotten. 

Hypno blinked away angry tears. He had promised he wouldn’t _ever_ forget him like everyone else so often seemed to, and now...

Their apartment was empty, just as he knew it would be, but it didn’t make the sight any less devastating - especially when he noticed his boyfriend’s abandoned taser. His phone had also been left behind, and when Hypno read Warren’s unsent messages, he choked back a sob.

“Warren...” Hypno glanced out towards the window, back out towards the blood-red sky and the pitch black sun. In the distance, he could hear explosions and other sounds of cars and buildings being destroyed. Carl had been right, it really was like some apocalypse or world-ending disaster.

Briefly, he wondered what the world outside the city was like. If it had been affected like the vast metropolis had, or if it was still as normal and safe as ever. Frankly, it didn’t matter... If there was still a chance that Warren was somewhere in the city, or would eventually be returned to the city, then Hypno would stay for as long as he needed to.

Unfortunately, he had to figure out what to do until then. It was hard enough at times trying to survive as a mutant in a human-filled city, but this was a whole new rugby game. Maybe he’d try meeting up with Meatsweats and Carl again, security in numbers and all that, or maybe he’d try to survive on his own. Either way, he was sure he’d figure something out. 

If Warren could make do, then so could he - and his boyfriend was indeed a survivor, both in the literal sense due to the nature of his mutation and in just the sheer determination Warren often had, willing to face down things fifty times bigger than him if only because they pissed him off.

Hypno chuckled slightly, the tears in his eyes threatening to spill over. Another crash - this one MUCH bigger - rang through the air, making the ground shake slightly. He had no idea what was going to happen next or what he was going to do, but he wasn’t about to give up. Not yet.

“Wherever you are, love,” Hypno mumbled, holding both the phone and Charlotte II close to his chest (he tried not to notice how similar in size and weight they were to the worm-man), “Please _please_ be alright...” He then quickly stuck both devices in his pocket, knowing that Warren would probably want them back once he found him, and stood up.

The purple lady - Big Mama, he thought he heard one of the turtles say - if she had done something to clear out the city of all its residents, both human and mutant, then surely she knew how to bring them back. He cursed himself for running off when he did, but if he could find her again and get her to talk, then maybe there was still a chance.

Razor rings at the ready, Hypno took a deep breath and stepped back out into red-tinted stillness of the city, running towards the sounds of chaos and destruction as fast as he could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued... hopefully? Depends on how canon/the rest of the show’s most recent cliffhanger plays out, lol. Don’t let me down Rise, we distinctly see Warren and Hypno paired up in the s2 intro, you’ve gotta give us at least one more scene with them together!! Heh, anyway, hope you all enjoyed!


	3. Bonus Chapter: Reunited

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After the feedback I got from the first bonus chapter, I knew I had to do one more. (Also I'm just WAY too invested in this ship, lol) Anyway, thank you all for the kudos and comments, now enjoy your happy ending.

The giant crack in the sky kept getting bigger. There were cracks in the so-called ‘ocean’ too, leaving the cruise ship and its guests to begin floating in the bright blue space. 

In other circumstances, where he still cared about getting his name on a story first and being the one people relied on to spread the word, Warren might have called it a truly newsworthy moment. A chance for some breaking news on a _literally_ breaking world! 

But of course, something couldn’t really be ‘news’ if everyone already knew about it - and this was certainly the case. Not even the people still in somewhat of a lemonade-filled daze could ignore what was happening - not when people started getting sucked through the cracks before getting pushed back in.

“Gh- As if my life couldn’t get any _freakier!”_ Warren grumbled to himself, cursing under his breath as he managed to grab onto an empty coconut cup. He could still feel himself floating, but at least now he had a bit of protection - and just in time too. 

Something (a foot or a floating beach chair, most likely) hit him hard, and the worm-man held on for dear life as he and his coconut went flying. He hit something else - something MUCH harder - and was bounced back towards the floating residents of New York.

Warren groaned, trying to steady himself so he didn’t accidentally fall out. “Ugh, for Pulitzer’s sake…” He wasn’t too dizzy yet, but he was definitely getting there. Thankfully, the coconut did slow down eventually, allowing him to regain some resemblance of control. 

Taking a moment to fix his hair before doing so, he popped his head out of the cup and looked back up into the sky. There was a new dent in it, and a couple tiny pieces had even broken off. 

In the distance, he heard the sound of another person getting sucked through a crack, getting their arm pulled in before getting it pushed back out. While he tried to at least pretend that he was calm (a newscaster didn’t get as far as he did in the business without knowing how to handle himself during a disaster, after all), Warren felt himself gulp.

If this place was falling apart, and they weren’t allowed to leave… Then what exactly was going to happen to them when their little piece of paradise finally broke?

Crossing his arms and hugging himself slightly, Warren forced his gaze away from the cracks and onto the crowd. Most of the people on the cruise ship were floating, but some had managed to stay on deck and were holding on for dear life. Warren himself had tried to go inside the ship and was nearly trampled for his escape attempt before getting knocked up into the air. 

Most of his fellow passengers were human, though there were also plenty that were mutants or yokai. Warren even recognized a couple, like that mantis-man who had been trying to get some pearls off an older lady before things started going wrong, and the crab guy (Bob? Or, maybe Ben? Whatever) who pretty much parked himself in front of the outdoor buffet.

Yes, he was far from the only mutant that had been captured… but as far as he could tell, the ship didn’t have the one mutant he was looking for.

Warren gripped his arms tightly, blinking away angry tears. “Damn it, Ron…” He still had absolutely no idea where his boyfriend was, and as far as Warren knew, there was a chance he was going to die before he saw him again. 

Another wave of dread washed over him when he realized that he still had no idea whether Hypno was okay or not. For all he knew, the hippo-man was already dead. Clenching his eyes tightly, he punched the side of the cup, not caring if it hurt or if it was pointless. 

Since the day of his mutation, he’d had plenty of moments of loneliness. Of having to rely on himself just to survive, and of having to fight for any bit of salvation he found no matter how often he got hurt for trying or how ridiculous it was for him to try in the first place. He had refused to stop fighting for glory and recognition, not caring what form he now had to fight in - and in the end that had paid off somewhat, after he had reintroduced himself to the hippo that had changed his life forever. 

But now… Now, despite being surrounded by strangers, it really did feel like he was all alone.

Sinking down into his cup, Warren curled into himself, sniffling. He knew he was being pathetic by just laying down and waiting for the end instead of fighting for survival, but he just couldn’t bring himself to fight anymore. Not when it seemed like he had finally lost everything. He had done all he could, but it just wasn’t enough. After all, what could one worm-man do against a fake world that was literally crumbling around him?

Despite his despair (or maybe just to spite it. Considering his luck, Warren wouldn’t have been surprised by the latter), the sky-blue space surrounding them managed to stabilize. It was hard to judge the passage of time, but a part of him appreciated the calm stillness that had settled in as opposed to the confusing chaos. He could even feel himself start to slowly float down.

While the feeling of peace and relaxation was no longer there, given that any sense of ignorance he once had was long gone, there was still a sense of stillness that Warren could appreciate. 

Like being in a dream, or maybe purgatory as a more apt name for it. Like being back in the Channel 6 newsroom, waiting for a sudden story to shake up a boring Monday afternoon. They were all just floating in space, waiting for something new to happen - or for the end to come.

Eventually, Warren got his wish. Without any warning whatsoever, the sky burned bright, its calm color smothered by pure-white light. There was an enormous pressure, enough to make Warren think he was about to be squished (again) from it.

Bracing himself, Warren closed his eyes-

And then he woke up.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

To say that his attempts had been an absolute failure was an understatement.

By the time Hypno had returned to the Grand Nexus, everyone was gone. Big Mama, the Turtles - for goodness sake, even the hotel was gone! Nothing more than a pile of rubble. 

He had no idea if Big Mama had still been in there or not, but if she was, well… He was pretty stuck in that case, so Hypno decided to think positive and try looking for any sign of her or any clues he could follow. 

But, just like the rest of the Big Apple’s citizens, she had disappeared without a trace. The city was silent. Even the sounds of destruction had stopped, and while that normally would have calmed him, now it could only fill him with dread. If there was no one left to help or to interrogate then… What was he to do now?

With the sun still blacked out and refusing to change its position in the sky, it had been hard for Hypno to tell how much time he had spent searching and looking, but he knew it must’ve been a few hours at least. At one point, he had heard a crash of sorts - it ended up being outside an abandoned shoe store - but by the time he reached it, whatever had made it was long gone.

Eventually, Hypno ended up wandering back over to his- _their_ apartment. He was exhausted and drained, all his determination from before nearly gone, and his heart heavy once again.

He… He wouldn’t give up! After all, Warren hadn’t given up on him when things looked bleak, and was always putting himself up against nearly impossible situations. As much as it worried him at times, it was also the thing Hypno admired most about him - and if Warren could show that sort of bravery and bravado, then so could he!

...Hypno smiled a bit to himself, wishing for probably the thousandth time that day that his partner was there with him. He would find Warren again, he was sure of it. No way was he giving up on his roomie now! He’d use his magic to feel out any sort of magical rifts or doorways that could lead to a prison or holding bay. He would even search the entire magical realm if he had to! He wasn’t going to give up.

Buuuut, he _was_ going to get some sleep, at least a little. Hypno knew it probably wouldn’t be too restful, or even that helpful, but at least he would regain some of the energy he’d need. So, the hippo-man laid down on the couch, not even bothering to take off his turban or shoes.

“Just a bit of a cat nap,” Hypno mumbled, his mouth opening widely as he yawned. The red sky outside his window was beginning to blur as his eyelids fell. “A quick cat nap is all I need…” Instinctively, as his body settled, his arms moved over his chest, his hands cupping someone that wasn’t there…

Somewhere in-between drifting off and trying to actually stay asleep, Hypno suddenly felt a wave of- of _something_ wash over him - something that wasn’t just sensing a bit of mystic energy, but the magic practically crashing into him and his senses!

His eyes opened in an instant, the energy from the mysterious event still lingering, leaving him feeling a bit tingly. With his head still turned towards the window, he nearly gasped at the sky. No longer red, it was instead an ordinary dark blue, indicating how late it really was. 

But if the sky was back to normal, then did that mean-?

“...Ron?”

Hypno turned to look at his chest in shock, and found a pair of lime-green eyes looking right back at him.

Warren blinked, a bit of a smile pulling at his face now. “R-Ron?” he repeated, “Is that really you?” It certainly looked like him but- but maybe this was all just another illusion like the cruise ship, or- “GAH!” He gave a bit of a yelp as he was suddenly grabbed and brought up towards his boyfriend’s face. 

Hypno hugged him tightly, holding him close as he choked back a sob. “It’s you! Warren, it’s- My God, it’s really you!”

Despite the slight pain of the hug, Warren couldn’t stop his teary grin as he nuzzled Hypno’s cheek. This WAS real! “I… I didn’t think I’d ever see you again,” he admitted as he finally let his tears fall.

“Oh Warren, I am SO sorry I worried you,” Hypno told him. Not wanting to literally smother him with love, Hypno loosened his grip on Warren a bit, placing his roomie back on his chest as he gave him an apologetic look. “Those crafty turtles turned my montage spell against me and then when I woke up I was in a cell and then I was facing off against some bloke in a game of checkers and-”

“Oh I KNEW those turtles had something to do with- wait, checkers?” Warren blinked, “Why were you playing checkers?”

“I don’t know! It was all part of this crazy tournament!” Hypno told him, “I was able to outsmart him in the end, but- but the entire city had been cleaned out and…” He winced, his eyes getting a bit teary again, “And you weren’t here. I- I found the text you tried to send me and… Oh, Warren-”

Moving out of Hypno’s grip slightly, Warren gently took his partner’s gloved hand, kissing it. “It’s fine,” he told him, resting his forehead against Hypno’s knuckle, “I’m fine, we’re fine…”

Hypno sighed. “I suppose you’re right… But, where were _you?_ ”

“...Hmph, I’m not sure if you would believe me if I told you,” Warren admitted, chuckling slightly, “I still don’t completely believe it.” In hindsight, it all still felt like a strange dream…

“I’d still like to know,” he heard Hypno say, his tone a bit insistent. Not like he could blame him for wanting to know, he was sure Hypno had been rightfully worried. The hippo-man then shifted the position of his hand and began lightly rubbing his thumb against Warren’s cheek. “Come on, love, please? Give me the full scoop. Just-” He waved his other hand around a bit, like he was preparing a stick for a pinata, “break open that news!”

Warren snorted, the two of them falling into a fit of snickers. “I thought I was the one who used news slang around here?” Warren asked, leaning into the touch.

“Oh well, excuse me for picking it up,” Hypno smirked, “Besides, I know I’ve heard you call french fries ‘chips’ before.”

“Only because I hear it all the time from you!” Hypno just chuckled, and Warren felt his heart melt. He missed this… He really, _really_ missed this. In a world full of false leads and fake news, Hypno was genuine and always wearing his heart on his sleeve. He was affectionate, caring, and above all else, gave Warren the strength to keep fighting, even when he had none left to give himself.

Noticing the wetness on his thumb, Hypno’s smile fell. “Warren? Darling, what’s- _mmph!”_

Practically pouncing at him, Warren kissed Hypno deeply, cupping his chin with both his tiny hands. Despite still being a bit concerned, Hypno didn’t hesitate to kiss him back, moving his hand to behind Warren’s back and gently holding him.

The kiss eventually broke, and before Hypno could say another word- “Marry me,” Warren asked, breathless though not desperate.

“I… W-What?” Hypno whispered, eyes widening.

“I… I promise to give you an actual proposal later on, with a ring and- and flowers and anything else you want but-” Warren swallowed, his smile shaky yet at the same time strong. “I _love you_ , Ron Patel. I love you more than anyone, and… and I don’t _ever_ want to be without you again. You’re my best friend, my partner-in-crime and on stage and everything in-between. You’re the co-anchor I never thought I needed! I love you and, newsflash, I don’t think I’m ever going to be able to stop loving you. I don’t WANT to stop loving you. It doesn’t have to be tomorrow or next week or even next year, but I just have to ask… Will you marry me?”

Hypno hiccuped slightly, happy tears rolling down his cheeks by this point. “I love you too. And yes, Warren Stone. Yes, I will marry you!”

Warren grinned, and quickly kissed his _fiance_ again - something Hypno didn’t mind at all. He wasn’t sure long it would take him to save up for (or steal) a ring, but Warren didn’t care. They had each other, and that was all they needed...

However, despite Warren promising him a more official proposal later on, Hypno ended up proposing to HIM a few months later, going all out with roses and magically-created fireworks. It had been completely sappy and over-the-top, but still absolutely wonderful. 

“Fair is fair and all that,” his big romantic lug of a hippo boyfriend had said, giving a bit of a cheeky shrug when Warren brought up his promise.

Thankfully, as long as that someone was Hypno, Warren didn’t mind someone stealing his spotlight just this once - not when it made him feel this loved. This _seen_. 

Of course he said yes, the two sharing a kiss after Hypno slipped the shiny gold ring onto Warren - it admittedly looked a bit more like a choker when placed around his neck than a ring, but it made them both happy nonetheless.

“I love you, Warren,” Hypno quietly told him, holding him close enough for Warren to hear his heartbeat.

Warren closed his eyes, hugging him back as best he could. “Love you too, Honey-hippo.”

**THE END**


End file.
